Forgive me if this is the wrong forum to post this, I am new here

[tornado34jh]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/01/30/lakeland-florida-shooting-injured-authorities/11151892002/


I personally have not heard of any gang-related stuff there, but it does sound like it could involve drugs. I do know that the area around Memorial Blvd just after you go past the Lakeland Regional Medical Center as well as the south part of Lake Parker Dr is well known to be a rough area. Even the area by the Florida DMV here in Lakeland is iffy. I personally have walked on Lake Parker Dr. and it gets kind of shady when you get to the southern part of it, at which point it becomes Lakeshore Dr. There is a preparatory academy (Golden Gate Preparatory Academy) over there as well. But there are other parts of Lakeland that are not particularly great, particularly the area just west of Lake Hunter and Central Ave. So given the area, I would not be surprised. I know that there is a significant homeless population in that area as well.

[Ilsa]

1. Welcome to DU!

I know nothing about that area of Florida.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Yeah, probably gang related. Too bad your governor is more focused on

suppressing speech than on crime and poverty.

[tornado34jh]

6. I am definitely aware

That is not the way to handle issues with crime and poverty. I think guns should only be given to those who are responsible. You wouldn't drive a forklift in a warehouse just for the fun of it. But when your priorities are so far out of whack that you are only focused on "culture wars" instead of actually governing, it shows how weak of a leader it is. If you want to deal with crime/poverty issues, you first have to go look at the reasons why it is. It doesn't happen for no reason. Only then can you deal with that. Of course, they will say, "it's all about freedom, duh" Freedom does not mean that you aren't responsible for your actions. If you could do whatever the storm you want in the name of freedom, it might as well be anarchy or the Wild West, because that is where it would end up going.

[Ocelot II]

3. You might want to post this in the Florida forum, since most of us

aren't familiar with the areas you are discussing.

[FM123]

4. Welcome to DU!

I live in South Florida (Broward County) so I post a lot in the Florida forum, you might want to browse over there too...

[tornado34jh]

5. Okay, I will look into the Florida forum

The area in Lakeland where this shooting occurred, Iowa Avenue and Plum Street, is around the Memorial Blvd area, or US 92. Many people I know who have lived in Lakeland longer than I have say that it is not a great area, particularly since there are a lot of homeless people.

[badhair77]

7. Welcome to DU.

I found your post interesting as I had an aunt who lived in that area. Her daughter still lives there, I believe. I need to check with another cousin to see if she’s in a dangerous area. She has some special needs but she is very involved with her church so I would hope she’d find some help there if needed. Thanks for the insight. Stay safe.

[tornado34jh]

8. The article says it has been a challenging neighborhood for some time

The nearest bus line there is the Pink Line, or what used to be called Route 3. It goes through Lakeland Hills Blvd and Massachusetts Ave while crossing Memorial Blvd. Where I live, near Plantation Square near the north part of Lakeland near I-4, that is the only city bus to or from that area. There used to be a bus that went through Memorial Blvd. This shooting occurred literally a block away from the Florida DMV/tax collector here in Lakeland and there is a bus stop there.